Buhari orders FUTO host community to return encroached lands

President Mohammodu Buhari has ordered the host community of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri(FUTO) to immediate effect return the land it grabbed from the institution.

President Buhari gave the order at the weekend in his address he presented during the 30th convocation ceremony of the school.

According to the president who was represented at the occasion by the Minister for States, professor Anthony Anwuka , noted that the Federal Government would no longer tolerate the act by the host community.

“We are aware of the encroachment of your lands by your host community, but the Federal Government would no longer fold its hands and watch its land taken by unscrupulous individuals” Buhari said.

However, he urged the police to embark on thorough investigation into the land grabbing menace, just as he issued a warning to them not to allow any casualty while carrying out their duties.

He said “I have been informed that this unwholesome act has risen to unprecedented dimensions in recent times as private buildings are sited close to the university facilities. Therefore, the recent demolition of new illegal construction sites by the university authorities is most welcome and would send a clear signal to land speculators and other individuals who purposely engage in encroachment on the university land.

Buhari continued “The losses associated with the demolition would be averted if developers/speculators desist from siting their buildings on the university land. I urge the the university management to sustain this demolition exercise as the federal government is solidly in support of it.

To the host communities, let me admonish them to regard the siting of universities in their communities as a blessing and to desist henceforth from encroaching on university land and endeavour to return such plots to the institution for its development” Buhari stated.

Also, the Chancellor of the school, HRH Muhammadu Musdafa earlier in his speech at the occasion condemned the act by the host communities, warning that the university will not cede any inch of its land to anybody.